Refreshed
Have you ever longed to be refreshed in your life? Do you know what it’s like to feel the burdens or pressures of everyday life? Whatever this might be for you, maybe school, work, home, family, relationships, finances or even your own body, is there anything that feels like a burden to you at the moment?
I don`t know about you, but sometimes I have the kind of season where there are lots of burdens coming from many different areas of my life, all pressing down on me. Dealing with a chronic illness every day for over 27 years means there are lots of uncertainties and insecurities that bring burdens and even pressures to my life.
Over the years I have been challenged to try to figure out the best possible way to escape burdens or pressures. I believe that burdens and pressures can keep us away from the freedom God wants us to have. One of the biggest lessons I have learnt over the last few years is realizing that whenever there is a burden or pressure, I have to make a decision to take action. The action I was challenged to take, is to serve my environment in the area of the burden or pressure that I am dealing with. Let me give you an example: When I have a financial burden or pressure – being low on savings, income etc., I have found the best way to release the pressure is by being even more generous towards others.
And, the same strategy works for all kinds of areas in life – in your health, job, relationships, studies or family.
I love what it says in Proverbs 11:25 “The generous werden prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.“ (NLT)
We are all looking for refreshment and prosperity in our lives in some way or another. I believe that the best way to escape our everyday burdens and pressures is to step into generosity and help people. Being generous towards others in the area you are personally under pressure in will open a new horizon for you to see how much you actually have left to give.
Being generous is simply serving others. Generosity isn`t just related to our finances, it can come from any sphere of life.
Are you having issues in your job, with your workmates or boss? Try to be generous to them by showing how much you appreciate them.
Do you feel sick or tired in your body? Try to visit or support someone else who is sick or feeling low.
Do you have family or relationship issues? Try to love them even more and bless them with extra gifts.
Do you feel like you are the least in your home? Try to serve the ones in your home the way you have never done before.
Are you low on finance? Try to give somebody something special.
Do you feel like no one is friendly, smiling or paying attention to you? Try to start to smile, be friendly and give attention to those that don`t do it or those who you`re expecting it from the most.
I have been hearing impaired for years, and without hearing aids I would hear you as if I were deep underwater. Even with hearing aids I still don`t understand everything and it`s an everyday challenge just to hear properly. Not being able to hear everything makes it very difficult to connect with people and it`s no fun at all!
There were a few seasons in my life when I just didn`t go out to socialize because I thought: “What good will it be if I can’t hear much and I’m just a burden to other people?“
However, one day I made the decision to go out, give my best and connect with others! Since then, I`m slowly in the process of becoming a great connector!
It`s still a burden and sometimes even a pressure to connect with people. But I see the beauty of being generous and I believe that step by step it will release my own burdens and pressures. Also refreshment will automatically follow after I’ve invested myself and served others, in areas where I feel like there is a lack in my life!
Since stepping out like this, I have seen a huge amount of joy and happiness overwhelming my life, and this I believe can and will release our everyday burdens and pressures.
I don`t know where I would be today if I had not made that decision to step out. I’d probably still be in my room thinking about how hard my life is, without any connection to society.
Someone once said: “If you want to have a better workplace, be a better worker. If you want to have a better family, be a better husband, wife, son or daughter. If you want to have a better country, be a better citizen1.“
At the end of the day, it all starts with me! If I want to have a better workplace, family, relationships, health or country, it all starts with me! Starting with me and investing into others, regardless of what I may or may not have – there is always a little bit left so I can be generous towards others. And then I can see how the beauty of being refreshed unfolds in my life!
I hope I have inspired, challenged and helped you in some way to be a person that can have a refreshed life regardless of the situation and circumstances you face at the moment.
If you would like some more practical steps, please let me know! I would love to help you in any way I can to have a refreshed life! J I`m not yet where I want to be and I still have a lot to learn in this, but, I`ve never been better than now even though there is still a lot of work for me to do to get to where I want to be!
We are all on a journey. 🙂
Be blessed
Nathanael
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